When I entered the round – Spicy Tequila in May, I thought of Tequila and link it into Mexico with a touch of spice, that complimented the agave flavors. At that moment, it made me remember the “Cinco de Mayo” (Spanish for “fifth of May”) is a celebration held on May 5. The date is observed to commemorate the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. So I decided to base the recipe on the red color of the bloody war. Tequila is the base for their nation, and Wenneker Strawberry to show off the love for Mexican then raspberry to give the freshness for the color also show off the blood of French with the red bell-pepper to give a bit of spicy when they failed. The lemon juice (a pity of losing in the battle) could be added into the drink just to give the right balance. A touch of agave syrup, just to compliment the flavor of agave and also adding the sweetness when they won. Because the Swizzle Masters Competition decided to make the drinks live at the Vinexpo in Bordeaux so I try to give it a bit complex with the Dubonnet Rouge, to add extra flavors and colour into the drink as well. Finally, it was a war so it could have the smokiness from the guns and the dead people could be burned to become the ash during the battle. Then the Mezcal and a pinch black of pepper can be added. The garnish is the key point of the drink, it gave them the victory that they should have. Yes, It was a crazy idea when finally I saw a lot of ingredients into my drink; but I believe that each ingredient will give something to the drink. It’s not just the taste but also the mouthfeel you will have in the final result. For me, It was a perfect war in this drink and I am proud that I have made it – the original and first ever “Cinco de Mayo” Cocktail. Cheers,

Method

– Gently muddle the ¼ red bell-pepper and raspberries together into the mixing glass.
– Add barspoon of agave syrup to dissolve with lemon juice then fill up with the remain ingredients.
– Add ice and shake it!
– Strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice.
– Floating the mescal on top and garnish with lemon zest, stick of berries and sprig of mints; then sprinkle pinch of black pepper.
– Enjoy the battle!